The history of the Davidson farms in Marchand in photos.
Other books by this author reviewed on this blog:
A boy, a farm, a dream
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Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Book 31 (2012) A boy, a farm, a dream ** by Cynthia Faryon
The story of the Marchand pioneers through the eyes of Lloyd Lehman. I met this amazing man (age 90 +) this summer. He is now married to Shirley Hastings Toews, related by blood to my Aunt Martha Doerksen Toews Griffiths. Dad was a friend since they were kids. We visited one afternoon, what a great day.
He wrote his memoirs, Faryon interviewed him, and created the book. Shirley says it's full of errors. Her writing is not great, but the story is outstanding. He stayed on the farm but his dream was machinery and trains.
The back story is the story of Watson Pogue Davidson and The Manitoba Dairy Farms. We also took many drives through the Marchand area identifying where all the dairy barns, schools, etc. used to stand. Many great afternoons.
He wrote his memoirs, Faryon interviewed him, and created the book. Shirley says it's full of errors. Her writing is not great, but the story is outstanding. He stayed on the farm but his dream was machinery and trains.
The back story is the story of Watson Pogue Davidson and The Manitoba Dairy Farms. We also took many drives through the Marchand area identifying where all the dairy barns, schools, etc. used to stand. Many great afternoons.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Book 20 (2011) Officers and Gentlemen**** by Evelyn Waugh
Everyone who everyone whoever thought about war being necessary or righteous or doubted the harm it does to the individual and society must read this book. First read Crete by Anthony Beevor, the history of the fall of Crete during WWII, then read this book, the barely disguised experiences of Waugh as a British officer in the same incident.
Waugh's writing is of course unmatched and each paragraph can be read aloud.
At once humorous and deadly serious, this book will stay with me as few books have.
Waugh's writing is of course unmatched and each paragraph can be read aloud.
At once humorous and deadly serious, this book will stay with me as few books have.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Book 16 A Traveller's History of France * 1/2 by Robert Cole
This is the 8th printing --- and still the book is a mess, from the font choice, to the headings, to the copy editing, which fails to fix even the weakest and commonly acknowledged writing and style issues. Worse, the books takes fascinating material, and turns it into lifeless recitation.
The author is an American, which surprisingly does not seem to affect the slant of the writing, although after reading Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, I long for an opinion here and there. The best we get is the odd wry, forecasting, structurally twisted sentence.
The narrative gets interesting only in the lead up to the Napoleonic era and from there on is quite riveting.
There are a number of deadening appendices that could be updated.
The author is an American, which surprisingly does not seem to affect the slant of the writing, although after reading Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, I long for an opinion here and there. The best we get is the odd wry, forecasting, structurally twisted sentence.
The narrative gets interesting only in the lead up to the Napoleonic era and from there on is quite riveting.
There are a number of deadening appendices that could be updated.
Book 15 Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong **** by Jean-Benoit Nadeau & Julie Barlow
This was the perfect book to read in France. Extremely well-written essays on various aspects of France's history, culture, and economy, focussing on what makes France different from the US or Canada.
Each chapter builds on the thesis of why the French people accept extreme standardization and centralization of government in every aspect of life.
Each chapter builds on the thesis of why the French people accept extreme standardization and centralization of government in every aspect of life.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Book 3 57 Hours by Vesselin** Medkob and Paul Wilson
Anyone at all interested in a clear overview over the Chechnya civil war should read this book. It contains a clear and well written explanation. Interesting too, for Westerners, is the fact that the terrorist and their arms and explosives could proceed across Russia undetected and that certain people seemed to have free access to the theatre while the drama was unfolding.
The main story is the story of a Bulgarian-Canadian man, of the 57 hours in a Moscow theatre being held captive by Chechnya rebels, and how he survived.
The Russians released an unknown gas into the theatre before storming it. Among the dead were all the terrorists and 129 innocent people, who succumbed to the gas after the attack. The Russians had no plan for how to transport 600 unconscious and dying people to hospitals, no medical personnel standing by on site, and never told the doctors what it was, so they were forced to experiment with antidotes before being able to treat the dying people.
The main story is the story of a Bulgarian-Canadian man, of the 57 hours in a Moscow theatre being held captive by Chechnya rebels, and how he survived.
The Russians released an unknown gas into the theatre before storming it. Among the dead were all the terrorists and 129 innocent people, who succumbed to the gas after the attack. The Russians had no plan for how to transport 600 unconscious and dying people to hospitals, no medical personnel standing by on site, and never told the doctors what it was, so they were forced to experiment with antidotes before being able to treat the dying people.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Book 92 The King's Speech*** by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi
I give this one three stars for being a fascinating and unique story, but the writing is pedestrian. This is the story of King George VI, his speech impediment and all the behind-the-scenes pain and anxiety. In that sense, the book is remarkable in it clear how important an issue this was to the royal family, the country, and the British government. It seems extreme to us now, but it was so different then.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Book 75 Vengeance *** by George Jonas
This is the true story of the avenging of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Germany by Mossad agents. It was made into an excellent movie called Munich.
Jonas is a very good writer, and tells the story as told to him by the team leader, "Avner". The affect on the personal lives of the agents is woven into the story of precision planning of each assassination. As intelligent people, they constantly reasses not only the morality of their actions but the effectiveness of revenge.
Jonas also describes the events of terrorism in the 60s and 70s, the skyjackings, the bombings, the murders, by numerous groups around the world. He says that they were all financed by the Soviets in order to confuse and destroy the confidence of the US. He also describes in detail the Le Group, the criminal organization, that provided support services to all the terrorist, lead by a Frenchman called Papa, who was a maquis during the war. After the Israeli agents killed 9 of the 11 targets, the tide turned, and 3 of them were hunted down and killed before the operation was terminated. After that, "Avner" story becomes one of betrayal by the Mossad. The Soviet involvement is quite plausible but the existence of such an efficient organization as Le Group, is less believable.
The events of this book have been denied by all those knowlegeable about such things and by the Israeli government. Jonas dedicates a chapter detailing why he believes "Avner".
Other good books about the Holocaust, and the suffering and survival of the Jews:
Defiance *** by Mechama Tec
Sarah's Key **+ by Tatiana de Rosnay (fiction)
The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (fiction)
The Zookeeper's Wife *** by Diane Ackerman
Jonas is a very good writer, and tells the story as told to him by the team leader, "Avner". The affect on the personal lives of the agents is woven into the story of precision planning of each assassination. As intelligent people, they constantly reasses not only the morality of their actions but the effectiveness of revenge.
Jonas also describes the events of terrorism in the 60s and 70s, the skyjackings, the bombings, the murders, by numerous groups around the world. He says that they were all financed by the Soviets in order to confuse and destroy the confidence of the US. He also describes in detail the Le Group, the criminal organization, that provided support services to all the terrorist, lead by a Frenchman called Papa, who was a maquis during the war. After the Israeli agents killed 9 of the 11 targets, the tide turned, and 3 of them were hunted down and killed before the operation was terminated. After that, "Avner" story becomes one of betrayal by the Mossad. The Soviet involvement is quite plausible but the existence of such an efficient organization as Le Group, is less believable.
The events of this book have been denied by all those knowlegeable about such things and by the Israeli government. Jonas dedicates a chapter detailing why he believes "Avner".
Other good books about the Holocaust, and the suffering and survival of the Jews:
Defiance *** by Mechama Tec
Sarah's Key **+ by Tatiana de Rosnay (fiction)
The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (fiction)
The Zookeeper's Wife *** by Diane Ackerman
Friday, November 5, 2010
Book 65 The Italians**** by Luigi Barzini
This is a unique portrait of the nature of the Italian people, written by a powerful writer. He is both amusing and deep, opening every fibre of muscle and blood vessel to reveal all that is necessary to understand Italy. It is a masterful thesis, still in print after 46 years. It was written in 1964 and is interesting seeing Italy through the eyes of that year compared with 2010.
The development of every emotion and motivation of business, family, crime, corruption is described in stark detail with numerous detailed examples from current times and history.
I learned much not only about the Italian people (males mostly) but also the history of Italy. For example, the popes would always enrich their relatives, in particular nephews, to carry on the family estates intact. The reasons for this helped me later understand some of the great paintings and frescos in the Vatican Museums, as well as the little farm I stayed in in Locorotondo which had been first established by a priest as a church in 1728, and then built up to leave to a nephew.
In his chapter on understanding Mussolini and his hold on Italy, I found out that he was originally a Communist, and then started the Fasci II which folded together the extreme left and extreme right. This is never mentioned in other books.
Barzini's use of the English language is jolting and I had to stop to admire and analyze it in almost every sentence.
A must read for anyone intensely interested in Italy and history.
The development of every emotion and motivation of business, family, crime, corruption is described in stark detail with numerous detailed examples from current times and history.
I learned much not only about the Italian people (males mostly) but also the history of Italy. For example, the popes would always enrich their relatives, in particular nephews, to carry on the family estates intact. The reasons for this helped me later understand some of the great paintings and frescos in the Vatican Museums, as well as the little farm I stayed in in Locorotondo which had been first established by a priest as a church in 1728, and then built up to leave to a nephew.
In his chapter on understanding Mussolini and his hold on Italy, I found out that he was originally a Communist, and then started the Fasci II which folded together the extreme left and extreme right. This is never mentioned in other books.
Barzini's use of the English language is jolting and I had to stop to admire and analyze it in almost every sentence.
A must read for anyone intensely interested in Italy and history.
Book 62 The Zookeeper's Wife *** by Diane Ackerman
This is a most interesting book, a true story about a woman who saved many Jews during WW II, by hiding them in the Warsaw zoo. The stories of the animals, her husband and children, the many guests they had over the entire war well told, intense and lovely. Ackerman is a master of detail. The history of the appalling Jewish ghetto and the astounding Polish resistance is unfolded in equally grim detail. There are numerous anecdotes of encounters with the German army and officials and many narrow escapes. An essential book for readers interested in history and WW II.
I found the writing style a bit annoying at times but can't remember why at the moment.
I found the writing style a bit annoying at times but can't remember why at the moment.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Book 31 The City by Joel Kotkin**
This is a potentially great idea for a book, ruined by very bad writing. Most sentences contain no information, but are merely sweeping unsupported statements. Maybe it's a thesis turned into book, but with very little effort applied. There are nuggets of information here and there, so it is worth reading if you are interested in history and economics.
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